Lady Gaga Hammering Out Settlement Deal With Former Assistant

International pop superstar Lady Gaga is nearing a settlement with her former personal assistant in a bid to evade a trial over claims of unpaid overtime.

The Born This Way singer has been entangled in a legal battle with Jennifer O'Neill since 2011, when she filed suit claiming she is owed $380,000 for carrying out 7,168 hours of extra work during the 2010 Monster Ball trek.

The case was scheduled to head for trial next month, when a jury would be primed to decide whether the singer's around-the-clock demands left O'Neill with little free time, as she alleged in her legal documents.

Nonetheless, attorneys for the two parties have worked out a negotiation in an effort to bring the lengthy dispute to an end, reports the New York Post.

On Wednesday, a letter sent by O'Neill's attorney to Manhattan Federal Judge Paul Gardephe reads: "(Both sides) have been engaged in significant settlement negotiations over the past two weeks. We have utilized the services of an independent mediator...

"Who brought us to a place where we are in agreement on the most major terms related to a settlement. I am hopeful that the parties can reach a mutual agreement, thus obviating the need for a trial."

Relations between Gaga and her ex-employee turned nasty during the court battle, in a deposition for the case, the star branded O'Neill a "f**king hood rat" and accused her of failing in her duties by making her carry her own luggage and unpack her own bags, which was "very stressful" for the singer.

Photo Credits: PRPhotos
, Palace Lee, PacificCoastNews.com

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